Are you the same as me, where maybe you don’t have kids yet, or you do, but your friend is about to become a mum.
Question is – what do you buy? Do you buy overly practical baby presents and be deemed as boring? What about the educational route? Really? From birth? This was my dilemma, when my lovely sister announced she was going to become a mum.
The idea of a baby shower, exciting as it is can also be quite daunting for folk such as me. So I got to thinking about going for a balance between practical and fun, oh and also not budget busting!
My criteria for great baby gifts that have been well received and played with are as follows.
- Cute baby gifts need to be great value for play – so they’re not binned by the end of the day.
- Baby gifts need to have long play life and educational elements so you get the most value for money.
- At the minimum, I would expect them to have received excellent reviews from a number of sources – this is always my thing!
- Educational gifts should give the baby a variety of experiences.
- All baby gifts should have a great price tag.
Disclosure: Please note that this page contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you choose to purchase. Also, please understand that I only recommend products that I truly believe will benefit you. Whether or not I earn a commission, these are products I would still recommend.
So here’s my list of recommendations:
1. Bath tub crayons
Babies absolutely adore bath time, especially if they can splash around and draw all over the walls.
Shop here on amazon
2. Terry bath mitts
![]()
![]()
What better thing to chew and throw around in the bath than these handy terry mitts that double up as fun baby washers.
Head over to purchase
3. Wooden Walker
Another inexpensive baby gift, could be this wooden walker. Baby can experiment and play with the blocks while really young, then will get the added advantage of growing with this sturdy toy, eventually using it to steady themselves while walking.
My niece absolutely adored hers and caused havoc as a toddler, hurtling around the house with it!
Head over to Amazon and find out more
4. Ubbi Bath Toys.![]()
I absolutely love this range of toys: Ubbi Connect and Build Bath Toys for Toddlers and Baby. The whole range of Ubbi’s is really well thought out. Without realising it, baby will develop greater hand eye coordination, and all whilst playing in the bath! These cool little pieces (big enough for baby) will link together, but float on the surface. If the little one is prone to throwing things around, these are soft and safe. A brilliant feature for mum also, is that they can be shoved in the dishwasher to clean and are also non toxic.
Find out more and purchase here.
5. Cute hooded Bath Towel
A baby towel is such a cute baby shower gift. Many of them are also hypoallergenic now and guaranteed to keep baby warm, when they are ready to be dried.
Find out more about the Hudson Baby Unisex Baby Animal Face Hooded Towel
Pin me for later!
15 Budget Baby Gifts for the under 1s
15 cute baby shower gift ideas
15 cheap baby gift ideas
6. Double sided car seat baby wrap
Ok so this might be a baby shower gift idea or newborn gift that nobody else has actually thought of. It’s not overly expensive and is a custom designed baby blanket for a car seat. Inspired! My sister has complained in the past about normal fleeces or blankets not quite being the correct size or shape. The advantage is that mum will know baby is secure, but she won’t be worrying about the wrap moving.
Buy this superbly practical present through my link
7.A Clip on Pram Toy – Lamaze’s Freddie The Firefly
The reason it’s so good as a baby gift is that it is so versatile. Baby can chew it, pull it and listen the different sounds it produces. Older babies can squeeze the ball on the toy, therefore building their motor skills.
Shop here
8. Labebe Baby Board Books – Waterproof
Maybe for the boy or girl who already seems to have everything, this could be a big win as a new baby gift. They can be chewed, spilt on, puked on and will still be brilliant little books for parents to read to their bundle of joy.
Buy through this link
9. ThinkFun Roll and Play Game
This is really cool first game for kids. Simply roll the cube and choose the matching color card and do the simple activity shown, such as “Make a happy face”, “Moo like a cow” or “Find something blue”. It’s fun and easy and something you can do together.
Shop here
10.The First Year Stack Up Cups
Another cheap gift for babies could be these fun stacking cups – they can be used anywhere, from water trays, the bath, sandpits to just on the carpet. Simple but great fun! Oh and so chewable!
Head over and buy this great value gift
11. Boon Building Bath Pipes Toy Set
Seriously…the fun an adult could have with these interlinking tubes is immense, never mind fun for baby bath time! The beauty of this toy is that it grows with the child, who will be able to progress from throwing and chewing the pieces, to interlinking them together and pouring water through them! Fab bargain.
Find out more here.
12. VTech Pull and Sing Puppy
This is a great unique baby present idea, as it does so many things as well as providing a source of entertainment. It includes in its repertoire, phrases, sounds, 3 sing-along songs and 20 melodies. The puppy teaches; colours, numbers and cause & effect. Couple this with moving legs and wagging tail, it’s a brilliant, stimulating toy for baby.
Buy him here.
13. Nuby 18 Piece Linkables Baby Teething Toys
Looking for a practical present for a new baby? These are perfect as they’re loads of fun also. Additionally, they can be attached to lots of things such as strollers, play yards and playmats, so baby can have fun on the go. Bright colours make them stimulating and attractive. As baby grows and starts teething, the nodules on the linkables feel great on the baby’s gums. Nuby linkables also offer that tactile experience that babies crave.
Shop here.
14. Oball
If your friend’s child hasn’t got one of these, you should buy one. Not only are they are easy to grip and they rattle, they are soft enough not to hurt if pitched in the air by baby!
Shop for this cool gift here
15. Step2 WaterWheel Activity Play Table
Another budget baby gift could be this superb, versatile water play centre. There is just so much to do for an older baby, who can stand. It allows them to safely splash around and build their sensory skills.
It’s great as it’s not too big, so you can move it easily into the shade, and play inside with it, if the weather isn’t brilliant.
Read more
So there you have it – a selection of the best budget baby gift ideas that I have seen used and loved, or that have been recommended to me by mums.
Have you bought anything amazing for a baby that you would like to share with us?
Be sure to share in the comments x
Related posts:
Related posts brought to you by YARPP.
